Miss Grande

Chapter 53: The Best Thing To Ever Happen To Me

*Ariana's POV*

   I sat in bed, smiling at my phone like an absolute moron. This girl had me so twisted up. From the first time I met her I knew she was something. I thought she was beautiful, and despite her being late on the first day, she still managed to make a good impression. Then she told me her name.

   I had heard a lot about this girl.

   The season hadn't started, and she was already captain of the soccer team, that I was to coach, with nobody running against her. She didn't have a tacky nemesis because she was nice to everyone. She didn't have to fight for her place because she earned it, and everyone knew that. She didn't let her title get to her head or inflate her ego. On top of all of that, she still had good grades.

   She was smart, funny, kind, charming, hard working, talented, and beautiful. It was just who she was.

   At first, it was just a little bit of curiosity. Was she really how everyone had described her? I had teachers gushing to me about her when I was moving my things into my room. I heard students going on and on about her in the halls on the first day. She had peaked my interest.

   It moved on from there. I got to know her better, and I saw her how everyone else saw her but with so much more.

   I don't know why I decided to kiss her the first time, let alone on school grounds, when I was on a date. I wasn't very interest in Jamie and planned on ending it that night, but it still wasn't my best move.

   Then it happened again in the store when I had seen her walk in with Justin. I was overcome with jealousy, so I drew her attention by flirting with my friend- he liked men more than I did in all honesty. I went to the bathroom when I knew she was watching and made my move. I'm glad Justin didn't recognize me when he started working at the school.

   After both times, I had felt 2 main things. First, I felt satisfied. I liked this girl sexually, and by the way I always caught her staring, I knew she liked me too. I had managed to make a move, and she reacted well both times. Secondly, I felt guilty. I had technically cheated on the guy I was seeing by kissing her. I used my gay friend to manipulate her into the same jealousy I felt. I even used my position of power as a excuse to toy with her, though that was unintentional.

   Then I began to see her more. I saw her before practice when we would set up, during practice when we would talk, and after practice when she would stay to help me clean up. I saw her first thing every single morning when she would come to class and be the only one actually paying attention. I saw her after class most days when she would offer to bring me coffee or breakfast the next morning. I saw her in the halls when she would be with her friends laughing or smiling, but she'd always wave if she saw me. I saw more into her every time I graded her assignments, her's always being the highest grade in the class as well as most of my other classes. I saw her, and I saw myself starting to like her.

   I told myself I would get over my little infatuation with this teenager, my student, but then we ran into each other again.

   I saw her at the park.

   She was with her friends, one of them chasing the poor dogs around the park- Camila, I believe her name was. She was a nice girl, although very strange. I had quietly chuckled at them before finding my way to the small pond, secluded by the trees and the hill.

   There she was again, 10 minutes later, chasing after a ball that had rolled down the hill into my bag while I was reading.

That was the kiss that had changed everything. It proved to me that liking her was so much more than just something to keep me busy. It was something that was soon going to consume me, and I was okay with that.

However, my definition of being 'okay with that' changed every day. Some days it meant I was willing to risk a kiss in my office, and other days it meant that I wouldn't even look in her direction during class, scared that it would draw too much attention to us.

   I tried to stay away from her. I went as far as getting with Justin, hoping it would help me get over her. That plan failed miserably. I was stuck with a friend that liked me and my crush on Y/n.

It took her yelling at me to realize how stupid I was being. I was pushing her away and being upset that she wasn't close to me, as though it was her fault.

   All of that lead me here: talking to her at 2 in the morning on New Year's Day and excitedly waiting for a text back.

One year ago I was a completely different person. I used people to get ahead. I hurt others if I could benefit from it. I got what I wanted. I played dirty to get where I needed to be, and I cared so little about who I hurt in the process. Now I think more before I do things, and I worry about how the things I do will affect others. I follow the rules, and I wait for my turn. I don't think she knows how much of an impact she's had on my life, though I will have to tell her eventually, but Y/n changed me for the better. Falling for her was the best thing to ever happen to me.